man, he's wonderful.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Songs of The Day
Give Me My Month: What I'm liking about all of these songs is that they all are very unique, yet all come together so well. This track is a simple piano/vocal ballad, and it's really sweet. James has a really lovely voice, and you can hear the emotion in it. It kind of reminds me of someone, but I can't put a finger on who. He's very choppy with his piano playing, which I like - it adds a little element of his corkiness to it. Short tune, but very sweet, really well played.
To Care (Like You): This track has a much darker feel to it than the previous, but it works perfectly as a follow-up. Dig the beat that drops, those 32nd hits are killin me! I like how simple it is as a big picture, but when you really get into it, you find all of the different layers that James has managed to pile up. The minimalist approach is takes at the end is really interesting, and adds a nice slow flavor to the end of the tune. I find it cool that his breath is auto-tuned, maybe that's just 'cause I'm weird. Anyway, really cool track to just listen and zone out to.
Why Don't You Call Me?: I almost feel as though this is a combination of the previous two tracks, and guess what - I dig it. It's a piano ballad, with all this extra chopped-n-screwed-ness to it that sounds pretty cool. At times, it's a tad too choppy, but that's just me trying to be extra critical and find something I don't like about this album (it's becoming difficult). There's a wind-sounding synth thing going on in the back that me gusta mucho. So good.
To Care (Like You): This track has a much darker feel to it than the previous, but it works perfectly as a follow-up. Dig the beat that drops, those 32nd hits are killin me! I like how simple it is as a big picture, but when you really get into it, you find all of the different layers that James has managed to pile up. The minimalist approach is takes at the end is really interesting, and adds a nice slow flavor to the end of the tune. I find it cool that his breath is auto-tuned, maybe that's just 'cause I'm weird. Anyway, really cool track to just listen and zone out to.
Why Don't You Call Me?: I almost feel as though this is a combination of the previous two tracks, and guess what - I dig it. It's a piano ballad, with all this extra chopped-n-screwed-ness to it that sounds pretty cool. At times, it's a tad too choppy, but that's just me trying to be extra critical and find something I don't like about this album (it's becoming difficult). There's a wind-sounding synth thing going on in the back that me gusta mucho. So good.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Songs of The Day
Lindisfarne I: This is a very sweet a cappella (until the end) piece. Normally the auto-tuned effect on his voice would bug me, but it works for this song and his style in general. I love the harmonies that begin to layer, with the occasional keys accompaniment. It blends perfectly into part 2.
Lindisfarne II: I find the drum beat on this pretty interesting, definitely not what you would expect to accompany this guitar/a cappella melody. It's cool though, I dig it. The guitar part is the slightest bit too hokey (?) for me... I don't really know how to explain it, but there's something about it that's not as gritty as I would have wanted it to be. Again, the harmonies are sick, and melodically this is very cool. Dig it.
Limit to Your Love: I had actually heard this song prior to this week, and I was immediately reminded of how phat it is. This is actually a cover of a Feist song (never heard it). First of all, the hook is great: "There’s a limit to your love/Like a waterfall in slow motion/Like a map with no ocean/There’s a limit to your love." Dig that. The only thing I don't like is the stereotypical dubstep echo out of the first hook into the beat dropping. I just think it's too typical/overused for his style. The beat that drops is super sick. The harmonies are super sick. The piano part is super sick. This song is super sick.
Lindisfarne II: I find the drum beat on this pretty interesting, definitely not what you would expect to accompany this guitar/a cappella melody. It's cool though, I dig it. The guitar part is the slightest bit too hokey (?) for me... I don't really know how to explain it, but there's something about it that's not as gritty as I would have wanted it to be. Again, the harmonies are sick, and melodically this is very cool. Dig it.
Limit to Your Love: I had actually heard this song prior to this week, and I was immediately reminded of how phat it is. This is actually a cover of a Feist song (never heard it). First of all, the hook is great: "There’s a limit to your love/Like a waterfall in slow motion/Like a map with no ocean/There’s a limit to your love." Dig that. The only thing I don't like is the stereotypical dubstep echo out of the first hook into the beat dropping. I just think it's too typical/overused for his style. The beat that drops is super sick. The harmonies are super sick. The piano part is super sick. This song is super sick.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
I Never Learnt To Share
this is a live version of him doing the song, using a loop pedal. very cool to see the whole process unfold. to listen to the album version (which you definitely should) click here.
Songs of The Day
Unluck: Ok, I'm impressed. This track is amazing. I really like how minimal the lyrics are on this track, yet he expands them to mean so much (that occurs on a couple tracks of his). The beat on this is super sick - I love all of the different feels it has. And these harmonies - oh so nice! My friends were telling me that he studied classical music, and it definitely comes across in his own. He plays everything on every track, very impressive. Really awesome start to the album.
The Wilhelm Scream: Love the steady, slow groove on this one. James voice is so, so soulful on this track - it's almost as if it's melting in my ears. This track is also fairly limited lyrically, but it works really well with the song. The layers that are produced on this track are insanely awesome. They all add their own feel that creates one big compilation of amazing sounds. I dig the juxtipostion of his smooth voice and the rigidness of the synth - very cool. Cool dark build-up, which leads into a lighter ending. Dig the ending bring down. Awesome.
I Never Learnt To Share: This. track. is. amazing. The only lyrics are "my brother and my don't speak to me, but I don't blame them" repeated over and over, adding a new layer of harmony. The harmonies he comes up with are incredible - this is definitely where you hear a lot of his classical training coming out. Love the sound of the keys, especially since they've got the electric piano sound while playing classical - very cool. The slow beat that drops is sexy, thanks a lot to the keys and bass that comes in. It has interesting movement from sexy to classical, which is definitely not a common mash-up. How he made these intricate vocal harmonies work with all the crazy stuff going on instrumentally is beyond. The build-up on this one is fucking ridiculous. Such a fat beat that drops - seriously, seriously dirty. Love that it is brought down at the end to classical. So. fucking. good.
The Wilhelm Scream: Love the steady, slow groove on this one. James voice is so, so soulful on this track - it's almost as if it's melting in my ears. This track is also fairly limited lyrically, but it works really well with the song. The layers that are produced on this track are insanely awesome. They all add their own feel that creates one big compilation of amazing sounds. I dig the juxtipostion of his smooth voice and the rigidness of the synth - very cool. Cool dark build-up, which leads into a lighter ending. Dig the ending bring down. Awesome.
I Never Learnt To Share: This. track. is. amazing. The only lyrics are "my brother and my don't speak to me, but I don't blame them" repeated over and over, adding a new layer of harmony. The harmonies he comes up with are incredible - this is definitely where you hear a lot of his classical training coming out. Love the sound of the keys, especially since they've got the electric piano sound while playing classical - very cool. The slow beat that drops is sexy, thanks a lot to the keys and bass that comes in. It has interesting movement from sexy to classical, which is definitely not a common mash-up. How he made these intricate vocal harmonies work with all the crazy stuff going on instrumentally is beyond. The build-up on this one is fucking ridiculous. Such a fat beat that drops - seriously, seriously dirty. Love that it is brought down at the end to classical. So. fucking. good.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Album Factoids
James Blake
Released: February 7th, 2011
Genre: Dubsted/Soul
Label: ATLAS (JM's own label) / A&M
Producer: James Blake
Released: February 7th, 2011
Genre: Dubsted/Soul
Label: ATLAS (JM's own label) / A&M
Producer: James Blake
Week 30: James Blake
Holy bajesus, it's week 30. Thought I'd continue with the electronic/soul vibe I was gettin from last week and move on to much talked about, James Blake. I've been hearing this dude's name back and forth around this place for the last couple months, so I'm glad I'm finally giving myself the chance to take a serious listen to his stuff. I'm familiar with "I Never Learnt to Share" off of this, but that's it. If the rest are anything like that, then I'm about to be in for a serious treat.
Final Grade: B+
I must say, after listening to this album start to finish, I liked it a lot more than I did as individual songs. Definitely a collection that needs a couple listens to really soak in. Those harmonies - oooooweee!! So fucking good, Mr. Phonte, so good. And these beats are really on point, Nicolay, just my kind of electronic. I really want to give this an A- because this album kind of kicks some ass... until the last 3 songs or so. The front/middle are really, really good - I was gettin down with all of the grooves, meters, lyrics - but towards the end, it kind of trailed off into a land that was a lil less exciting. I don't think all of the features were necessary (though I did like most of them) because Phonte's great and doesn't need any kind of help vocally. Overall, this was a really good album, and I would definitely recommend it.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Songs of The Day
Everything Must Go: The string part to this kind of sounds like a phone company commercial. Seriously, that's all I could think of. Fortunately, the groove gets groovier when the rest of the instrumentation comes in. I like it, but I find the groove a little cluttered - just a tad - and a tad corny. The fiddle at the end doesn't really do anything for me, and it almost seems useless seeing as it's only in the song for about 20 seconds. Done better.
Laughing At Your Plans (ft Chante Chan): I feel the same way about this groove that I do about the last. It's like they're going for this weird country undertone that's not really working. This track is catchier than the last, I find myself bopping a little more. I dig Chante, she kind sounds like Corinne Bailey Rae, and she adds a nice little touch to the song. It's a sweet track, but it's a tad corny/too up for what I've been feeling with the rest of the album/their sound in general.
This City Ain't The Same Without You (ft. YahZarah): At first, I wasn't really into YahZarah's voice, but when the harmonies came to back her up, I got into it. But, ayo Phonte - where you at?? I mean, I like her voice, but I wasn't lookin for a solo song. I also don't really know why you would want to end your album with someone else's voice. The groove is sweet, very 90s R&B ballad. Decent, but they could've gone out on a higher note.
Laughing At Your Plans (ft Chante Chan): I feel the same way about this groove that I do about the last. It's like they're going for this weird country undertone that's not really working. This track is catchier than the last, I find myself bopping a little more. I dig Chante, she kind sounds like Corinne Bailey Rae, and she adds a nice little touch to the song. It's a sweet track, but it's a tad corny/too up for what I've been feeling with the rest of the album/their sound in general.
This City Ain't The Same Without You (ft. YahZarah): At first, I wasn't really into YahZarah's voice, but when the harmonies came to back her up, I got into it. But, ayo Phonte - where you at?? I mean, I like her voice, but I wasn't lookin for a solo song. I also don't really know why you would want to end your album with someone else's voice. The groove is sweet, very 90s R&B ballad. Decent, but they could've gone out on a higher note.
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